This International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on incredible women in healthcare like Dr Jillian Farmer, a Rural Generalist and Director of Medical Services, whose roots and journey are as inspiring as they are unique. Growing up in Rockhampton and starting her medical career bonded to rural service, Jillian’s path has taken her from regional Australia to the global stage with the UN, and back to her local community.
Explore the compelling narrative of Dr Jillian Farmer, whose dedication to rural health and leadership offers vital insights and encouragement for women aiming to make their mark in the healthcare sector.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career as a Rural Generalist, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on healthcare in rural and remote communities?
I grew up in Rockhampton, and had a rural bonded scholarship as a medical student. I had planned to be a rural doctor, but life gets in the way. I was only 4 weeks out of Med School and I met my now husband, who happens to be a medical researcher who needed the full facilities of the Qld Institute of Medical Research to work. I did work in regional locations for the duration of my bonded term, but gave up on the dream as that relationship formalised, and it became clear that going rural would not work at that time in our lives.
I learned so much during those early years in regional and rural facilities that took me such a long way – including ot my work in the UN, where I could take that understanding of isolated practice, to support the healthcare staff working for the UN in places that many of us in Oz would be unable to find on a map.
When the chance arose to work in the region I grew up in – it was a no-brainer, and I’ve been so happy to return there. The community also seem to really like knowing that even though I fly in fly out, my roots were local.
2. As a leader in healthcare and as DMS, what qualities do you believe are essential for women in this field?
As is so often the case, there are different expectations of women leaders. I railed against this for most of my career, but it is what it is. Women walk a fine line – be assertive, but not too assertive, lest you be labelled aggressive. Be kind and accommodating, but don’t be a pushover. Be nice, but not weak. ARGH - it drives me bonkers.
I especially noticed this when I returned from the UN< where gender equity is perhaps a little easier because the UN has to work across cultural norms and just state and adhere to what is expected – so gender equity was expected, and was generally delivered.
To get to the actual question you asked, women leaders need exactly the same qualities as any leaders, and women who can find the courage to be their true self at work do incredibly well. The days when women had to emulate men to get ahead are starting to pass, but I’d encourage women leaders to look at feedback they get through the lens of “Is this actually just telling me to be a man?” – and if it is, maybe don’t do that.
My greatest leadership successes have come when I unleashed my real self at work, my true values, my true beliefs, my actual vulnerabilities and challenges. Every leader needs resilience and self awareness – I think women need a slightly stronger bullshit filter so they don’t let the rubbish detraction and microagressions get them down.
I still regularly get called nurse.
3. Balancing the demands of rural medicine and family life can be challenging. What changes would you like to see to support women juggling medical careers and parenthood better?
I’d like it to not be a conversation about women juggling medical careers and parenthood. It should be about parents of all genders juggling medical careers and parenthood. When we make the discussion not about women, we’ll be starting to win.
That’s hard, because Australia still has incredibly gendered social expectations. That includes child care but also extends to eldercare. WE need to add our voices to the chorus demanding gender equity across the board, not just more measures focused on women, because that, in my view, just perpetuates and legitimises the inequity.
4. How can the healthcare industry create more opportunities and support systems for women in leadership roles?
Ooh – great question. I’ve just chaired a working group that presented a report (currently out for consultation) on this very issue. The draft recommendations are:
Develop a national program for measurement and reporting of workforce and leadership diversity in health care. This should:
Establish a baseline by transparently reporting current workforce composition and, at a minimum, examining gender and race (and preferably other aspects of diversity) to measure the diversity of different health profession cadres, along with how well that diversity is reflected across the range of seniority and pay scales.
Collect and report (as currently happens in other countries) data about the diversity of applicant pools for both jobs and training programs, and report on the related diversity of successful applicants.
Amend the Medical Training Survey so that data on race, neurodiversity, disability and more is collected, allowing correlation of these factors with training experience.
Using the data above (preferably, but if not available, using other methods), identify fall-off points in the career development pipeline and provide targeted interventions to diverse employees and enhance their access to career opportunities.
Address institutionalised drivers of inequality:
Collect and examine data on diversity for temporary promotions or special projects that are filled without a formal recruitment process.
Ensure that there is transparency of methods for funding allocation to leadership activities, so that unconscious bias against diverse leaders does not set them up for failure through inequitable resourcing.
Examine (for each professional grouping) gender and race pay gaps at each appointment level, and identify and address drivers of any gaps (e.g. overtime, inequitable or biased criteria for promotion)
Develop specific strategies to reach and motivate mid-level managers who are critical to creating a truly inclusive leadership pipeline. While top leadership commitment is key, the day-to-day experience of emerging leaders is shaped by their immediate supervisors.
Re-examine and challenge existing stereotypes of leadership:
Implement strengths-based leadership development assessment and training. Current models of deficit-based assessments cause diverse groups to be under-valued by metrics that reinforce historical stereotypes of leadership.
Develop systems and structures to learn from First Nations ways of knowing and being for the benefit of all patient and staff populations.
Implement a variety of leadership models, learning from other cultures, including shared leadership
Implement programs that elevate the perception of diversity as an asset, rather than an issue to be managed.
Promote and celebrate multilingualism:
Leverage the global sourcing of healthcare staff — continuously invite and respect proposals for improvements and economies that are effective and proven in other countries, being sure to guard against unconscious preference for anglosphere or European initiatives.
Create systems and structures that allow employees of diverse perspectives to be valued and be seen to be valued. Encourage diversity of thought.
5. What advice would you give to women aspiring to become Rural Generalists or pursue careers in other demanding medical fields?
Maybe don’t marry someone who needs a biohazard 3 laboratory? (only kidding – my husband has been a rock, and my career would not have existed without the inspiration and encouragement he gave me).
My biggest and recurring advice to women is to claim the territory, don’t ask for permission. I get so many women asking me what else they need to do to be “good enough” but I almost never get asked that by a man, and if I do it’s an IMG.
IT’s been shown that women don’t apply for jobs if they don’t self-assess as meeting close to 100% of the selection criteria, but men will apply if they meet as little as 60%. Ironically, the men have historically been appointed more despite that merit gap, but that reflects the bias in selection processes, not the quality of the applicants.
So – find a job you want, name it out loud and apply. Defy those who would prefer you didn’t apply…make them uncomfortable if you must but go in to battle for your dream. You might not get the first, second or third job, but you might also be surprised. Nobody was more surprised than me when I got the job as UN medical director.
6. How can all colleagues and leaders be allies in promoting gender equality and supporting women in rural healthcare
Here I’d like to promote one of my favourite UN programs – He For She – where it specifically outlines the things that allies can do to promote gender equality.
I would also like to promote some of the input I got from colleagues during the preparation of the report I mentioned above. Women tell me that they don’t need more mentors – they need more real opportunities to grow and demonstrate their leadership capability.
So next time you are thinking of shoulder-tapping someone -and if your finger twitches to the shoulder one of the usual suspects, just stop and think – “Who else could I ask”. It’s a great question and can lead you to find some amazing talent.
Dr Jillian Farmer's career is a testament to the impact of sticking true to one's roots and the importance of genuine leadership in healthcare. As we celebrate International Women's Day, Dr Jillian Farmer's story highlights the essential need for enhanced healthcare in rural areas and the influential role women can play in driving these improvements.
Get inspired by more stories of formidable women in healthcare who are breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations.